Hello Crew,
I know that there are some SCL fans here that would appreciate seeing this clip. It’s silent and the quality not that great but this video, shot by a passenger, conveys the image as to how hard these two trains slammed into each other.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=wvOWXc6hqkU
Even with this, passengers continued to fill seats in the Silver Meteor, Silver Star, and Champion right up to Amtrak takeover in 1971. SCL crews on these trains generally took pride in delivering good service.
That is a good video. Thanks for showing it.
That looks like an awful wreck.
Great video guy !
When I was filming the Katy I looked and looked for silent 8mm footage like this to no avil…
Thanks for sharing…
Glad that you appreciated seeing this. Blew my mind away because I have one photo of this wreck in a book. It just shows a closeup of two cars off of the tracks. This vid really conveys how serious this was. One of the E units (A or B?) looks completely demolished.
Inspite of their decent service, I’m certain this helped push SCL’s management’s mindset to hurry up and keep pushing government officials to let them get rid of their passenger service a.s.a.p.
I wonder how many lawsuits were filed by passengers. Must of cost SCL a real whopper of a penny.
I would hazzard to guess had this not have happened SCL would have taken the line of Claytor at Southern and not join Amtrak as SCL passenger service was sort of breaking even at the time. I think (judging from what I have read), it was the insurance issues that forced SCL’s hand into joining Amtrak as the US was starting to become a litergious society (which has been one of the US’s less glorious cultural exports to the rest of the English speaking world) As well as the cost of upcoming rolling stock replacements that was becoming due in the period 1970-80.
Good point, Greg. Would have been sweet had the Champion, Silver Meteor, Silver, Comet, etc had continued running under SCL’s banner thru the late 70s. You’re right about the rolling stock as Amtrak rebuilt the Heritage cars in the early 80s at Beech Grove. I’m thinking that SCL would have likely replaced the E units on those trains with GE U-Boats (as was done on the Auto Train). Would have been interesting, for sure.
Thanks for sharing this clip but dies anyone have any odea on how this wreak happened were there any injuries Larry
I would have thought that the FP45 would have been the go seeing that ATSF were having a good run with them.
Understandable,
But remember that SCL leaned heavily towards GE and purchased a sizeable fleet of U-Boats. SCL, reportedly, did not want any more cab units. Pricewise, the GEs were cheaper compared to comparable EMDs (though, reportedly, a number of mechanics and locomotive crews were not fond of the GEs). The FP-45, with its 20 cylinder powerplant and sleek cowl body was a lot more expensive. Would have been neat seeing those big cowls on SCL rails, though.
Form what I have researched so far, looks like it shows up in newspaper archives on August 6, 1968. However I am yet to find anything of substance that does not require a subscription to read further. Jamie
The comments to the vid mention an engineer fatality and a passenger fatality. One shot shows that famous car with big picture windows and a sort of sunroof with glass that entended over the seats.
Dave Nelson
Yes. That’s one of the “Sun Lounge” cars that SCL inherited from the Seaboard Air Line. There are some pictures on railpictures.net. One of the Sun Lounges has been well taken care of and survives to this day.
Did all 3 Sun Series lounges make it to Amtrak? The one in the video looks pretty damaged. I believe 2 are still around, one still has it’s stainless sheating and the other is now a smooth sided car. Never new one was in a wreck, always liked those cars.